Method of expanding grazing range and an animal feed supplement for use therein

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method for improving grazing distribution and an animal feed supplement for use therein. The method comprises the steps of identifying a plurality of underutilized rangeland areas and providing an animal feed supplement in a first underutilized rangeland area. The animal feed supplement attracts the livestock to the first underutilized rangeland area and encourages the livestock to graze once there.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS(S)

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 09/266,176, filed Mar. 10, 1999, now issued as U.S. Pat. No.6,244,217, issued to Jun. 12, 2001, which is incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a method of expanding grazingrange. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method ofusing an animal feed supplement to encourage livestock to graze inunderutilized rangeland areas.

BACKGROUND

Cattle naturally avoid areas that are located far from water or thatrequire them to climb steep slopes. This tendency causes the cattle toovergraze lowland riparian areas while ignoring abundant or high qualityforage in other areas. This “localized overgrazing” causes severalsignificant problems. First, it reduces the rancher's profit because itwastes forage. Second, the cattle trample the vegetation in resultinghigh-traffic areas near water sources. This increases pollution, causeserosion, and reduces stream bank stability. These effects can eventuallyresult in watershed degradation and poor water quality. Finally,localized overgrazing prevents nutrients returned to the soil throughmanure from being spread to their best effect.

Increasing the natural grazing range of cattle can reduce theseproblems. One advantage of a large grazing range is that cattle consumeforage in areas that would otherwise go unused. This allows existingacreage to support more head and can improve individual animalperformance (e.g., increased body condition or higher weight gains). Theresulting decrease in forage pressure on the lowland riparian areas alsoallows the local vegetation to grow more vigorously. This means thatranchers can maintain or even increase vegetative cover around lakes andstreams. Finally, a large grazing range spreads manure over moreacreage.

The prior art has suggested several methods to solve this localizedovergrazing problem. These methods include fencing, herding,constructing water developments, and strategically placing salt blocks.However, all of these methods have significant drawbacks. Fencing, forexample, requires that the rancher build a physical barrier to force thecattle into the underutilized areas. This requires a large capitaloutlay, because the rancher must build a barrier capable of holding thecattle. Fences also have significant maintenance costs, are impracticalin rugged areas, and may be illegal on public land.

Water developments, like fences, are expensive to build and areimpractical in rugged areas. In addition, water developments havelimited effectiveness because they cannot be moved easily. This drawbackoften creates a new area of localized overgrazing. Finally, waterdevelopments frequently require an external power source to maintain thefluid level and may not be permitted in environmentally sensitive areas.

Herding is an expensive, short term method of extending grazing range.Herding requires of that a rancher push the cattle into theunderutilized rangeland areas. This process is labor intensive becausethe rancher must travel to the cattle's location and remain with themuntil they reach the desired areas. The entire process must befrequently repeated because the cattle need to return to the riparianareas for water.

The strategic placement of salt blocks has also been suggested as a toolto improve grazing distribution. However, research has shown that saltdoes not effectively attract cattle to the underutilized rangeland areasor encourage them to consume the forage around the salt block.

For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a new method of extendinggrazing distribution so that the livestock will better utilize theexisting rangeland.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed at a method of improving grazingdistribution by encouraging livestock to feed in underutilized rangelandareas. The method comprises the steps of identifying a plurality ofunderutilized rangeland areas and providing an animal feed supplement inat least one underutilized rangeland area. Livestock are attracted tothe underutilized rangeland area by the animal feed supplement.

The animal feed supplement of the preferred embodiment is made from ahighly palatable, self-limiting, molasses-based material. Thiscombination of features attracts the livestock to the underutilized areaand causes them to consume the local forage. The supplement block of thepreferred embodiment is also portable and weatherproof. This allows therancher to place the supplement in a first underutilized rangeland area,leave it unattended until the livestock utilize the local forage, andthen move the supplement to a new underutilized area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdescription, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a topographic map showing the natural grazing distribution oflivestock.

FIG. 2 is a topographic map showing the grazing distribution aftersupplementation.

FIG. 3 is an sectional view of a supplement container.

FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of a supplement container attached to ananimal silhouette.

DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a topographic map that shows an area of rangeland having astream 10 and steep hills 12 and 14. The location and grade of the hills12 and 14 are indicated by contour lines 16. FIG. 1 also shows thelocation of livestock 18 within their natural grazing area 20.

An underutilized rangeland area 22 is a place where a rancher wants hisor her livestock 18 to spend more time or to consume more of the localforage. Because livestock 18 have a natural tendency to graze lowlandriparian forage, underutilized rangeland 22 will typically be located inareas 22 a that are significant distance from water or in areas 22 bthat require that the livestock cross steeply sloped terrain.Underutilized rangeland areas 22 will also tend to contain relativelyabundant and/or high quality forage.

A rancher can identify underutilized areas 22 by periodically visitingthe available grazing land and looking for locations having thickvegetative cover and high plant vigor. Other embodiments of thisinvention use more advanced detection methods to identify theunderutilized areas 22. These methods include testing the forage todetermine its nutrient value, aerial photography, satellite imagery, andremote sensors.

FIG. 2 is a topographic map of the same rangeland area shown in FIG. 1.A rancher will attract the livestock 18 from their natural grazing areas20 to the underutilized rangeland areas 22 a and 22 b using an animalfeed supplement 26 of the type described herein. This results in animproved grazing distribution 27.

This invention is more effective when the supplement 26 is only providedin a few of the underutilized areas and when these locations areperiodically rotated. This aspect of the invention prevents thelivestock 18 from overgrazing the forage around the more accessiblelocations and ignoring the forage around the less accessible locations.This aspect of the invention also lowers the initial capital costbecause the rancher does not need to stock as many supplement locations.This invention is also more effective when the supplement 26 is providedin an area from which the livestock 18 can periodically travel to asource of water.

If the rancher chooses to provide supplement 26 in several locations,the rancher should try to place them in equivalent positions.Equivalence occurs in areas where the livestock 18 use the supplement 26at an approximately equal rate. Equivalent positions can be identifiedby monitoring the amount of supplement 26 consumed at a particularlocation and moving its position accordingly.

The animal feed supplement 26 used in this invention should be made froma highly palatable, consumption limited material. Palatability refers tothe extent that the livestock 18 desire the product and is related tothe product's taste and nutrition content. Highly palatable supplements26 are preferred, because they encourage livestock 18 to travel greaterdistances to consume the product. Consumption limits refer to theinability of livestock 18 to satisfy their craving for the product inone feeding session. Consumption limits can be imposed by choosing asupplement material that cannot be consumed rapidly (i.e., a“self-limiting supplement”) or by using a mechanical apparatus to limitthe supplement's availability. Consumption limited supplements 26 aredesirable, because they encourage the livestock 18 to spend more timearound the supplement source. The combination of highly palatability andlimited consumption is particularly desirable for the presentapplication, because it causes the livestock 18 to travel significantdistances to the supplement 26, to remain in the underutilized area 22,and to consume the local forage between their repeated limitedconsumption of the supplement 26. A suitable supplement could be amolasses product that is dehydrated to reduce the moisture content andfortified with vitamins, minerals, and other protein sources. Othersuitable supplements include, but are not limited to: a liquidsupplement in a consumption limiting container, a chemical block, or apressed block.

It is also desirable that the supplement 26 contain those specificproteins, fat, vitamins, macro minerals, and trace minerals that thelivestock require for proper nutrition. Studies have shown that theprotein content of the forage limits the animal's weight gain becauselow protein levels reduce consumption and suppress microbialfermentation in the animal's digestive system. Nutrition supplementshave also been shown to improve the overall body condition and thereproductive performance of the livestock 18.

The preferred embodiment of this invention is based on a solid feedsupplement 26 sold under the trade name CRYSTALYX® BGF-30 by HubbardFeeds, Inc., P.O. Box 8500, 424 North Riverfront Drive, Mankato, Minn.56001. CRYSTALYX® BGF-30 is a molasses-based supplement blockmanufactured to be fed to cattle free choice. It contains: molassesproducts, concentrated separator by-product, animal protein products,plant protein products, animal fat (preserved with ethoxyquin),processed grain by-products, urea, monocalcium phosphate, dicalciumphosphate, calcium carbonate, sulfur, magnesium oxide, manganesesulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide,calcium iodate, cobalt carbonate, sodium selenite, vitamin A acetate,D-activated animal sterol (source of vitamin D₃), and vitamin Esupplement. These ingredients are dehydrated to reduce the moisturecontent and result in the

CRYSTALYX ® BGF-30 NUTRIENT ANALYSIS: Crude Protein, min 30.0%(Including not more than 12.0% equivalent crude protein as non-proteinnitrogen.) Crude Fat, min 4.0% Crude Fiber, max 2.5% Calcium (Ca), min2.0% Calcium (Ca), max 2.5% Phosphorus (P), min 2.0% Potassium (K), min2.5% Magnesium (Mg), min 0.5% Cobalt (Co), min 3.3 ppm Copper (Cu), min330 ppm Iodine (I), min 17 ppm Manganese (Mn), min 1,330 ppm Selenium(Se), min 4.4 ppm Zinc (Zn), min 1,000 ppm Vitamin A, min 80,000 IU/lbVitamin D, min 8,000 IU/lb Vitamin E, min 30 IU/lb Salt (NaCl) noneadded

CRYSTALYX® BGF-30 has a number of beneficial properties. For example,CRYSTALYX® BGF-30 is weatherproof so that a rancher can leave thissupplement block in the underutilized rangeland areas 22 without lossesto wind or rain. Furthermore, the CRYSTALYX® BGF-30 block only has 2% to6% moisture content. This is desirable because it reduces thetransportation cost necessary to use the invention in remote and ruggedareas. Finally, CRYSTALYX® BGF-30 improves the livestock's digestion byproviding a good growth medium in the animal's rumen for the bacteriathat break down vegetable material.

Other animal feed supplement formulas are within the scope of thisinvention, several of which are well known in the art. These supplementsgenerally contain the following nutritional content:

NUTRIENT ANALYSIS MINIMUM MAXIMUM Crude Protein 4.0% 65.0% Crude Fat2.0% 12.0% Crude Fiber 0.5% 4.0% Calcium (Ca) 0.4% 10.0% Phosphorus (P)0% 10.0% Salt (NaCl) 0% 10.0% Potassium (K) 0.5% 6.0% Magnesium (Mg)0.15% 6.0% Cobalt (Co) 1.0 ppm 15 ppm Copper (Cu) 15 ppm 1,000 ppmIodine (I) 2.0ppm 100 ppm Manganese (Mn) 25 ppm 3,000 ppm Selenium (Se)0 ppm 30 ppm Zinc (Zn) 25 ppm 3,400 ppm Vitamin A 0 IU/lb 200,000 IU/lbVitamin D 0 IU/lb 40,000 IU/lb Vitamin E 0 IU/1b 1,000IU/lb Non-proteinNitrogen 0% 52%

The actual nutrient content depends on whether the supplement isdesigned to have high protein, low protein, or trace mineralfortification.

The animal feed supplement 26 used in this invention should be providedin a container 28 such as that shown in FIG. 3. This container 28 isgenerally configured into a barrel shape having an open top 30, a sidewall 32, a bottom 34, a protruding bottom lip 36, and a top edge 38.

The open top 30 should be large enough to allow easy access to thesupplement 26 and the bottom 34 should be wide enough to preventlivestock from tipping the container 28. The top edge 38 is preferablyformed into a shape that prevents livestock from injuring themselveswhen consuming the supplement 26.

The weight of the container 28 and of the supplement 26 drives theprotruding lip 36 into the ground 40. This feature makes the container28 particularly desirable for winter use on steeply sloped hillsidesbecause it deters sliding motion caused by livestock or by gravity insnow, ice or other slippery conditions. Making the supplement 26essentially immovable by livestock even when the container 28 is almostempty helps insure that the livestock-attracting focus remains in thesame location in the underutilized rangeland. However, the size andweight should be consistent with the need to deliver the filledcontainers 28 to somewhat remote terrain.

The preferred embodiment uses a steel half-barrel that is large enoughto contain about 250 pounds of supplement. One advantage of thisembodiment is that the steel construction prevents livestock 18 frombiting or trampling the supplement 26. This advantage enhances theself-limiting feature of the preferred supplement formula. Anotheradvantage of the preferred embodiment is its ability to be recycled.Despite these advantages, however, other embodiments are possible. Forexample, the container 28 could be made from plastic, cardboard, oraluminum instead of steel and the rounded top edge 38 could be replacedby a plastic protector. Other container sizes, shapes, and materialsconsistent with the above objectives are also within the scope of thisinvention.

The effectiveness of this invention increases if the livestock 18develop an association between the supplement 26 and an identifierassociated with the supplement. Although a wide variety of features canfunction as an identifier, an effective identifier should be capable ofsignaling the location of the supplement 26 to the livestock 18 over asignificant distance. This association need only be trained into aportion of the herd. The rest of the animals will naturally develop theassociation, because livestock 18 are naturally drawn towards otherlivestock 18. That is, the existence of a crowd of livestock 18 willdraw additional livestock to that location.

One possible identifier is the color of the supplement container 28.Although this color can be any shade that livestock can perceive, it isdesirable that the color contrast with the container's surroundingsthroughout the year. Black containers appear to be easily perceived bothin winter snow and in rangeland having light brown color tones. The darkcolors, like black, are also desirable because they absorb solar energy.This causes the container to melt into any underlying snow or ice 42 andhelps the container 28 remain where the rancher placed it.

Another possible identifier is the odor of the supplement 26. Althoughthis odor can be any scent that livestock can perceive, it is desirablethat the odor be relatively unusual. This will prevent the livestock 18from confusing the identifier odor with naturally occurring scents. Oneembodiment of this invention uses onion by-products to produce an onionodor identifier.

A third possible identifier is a sound. Like color or odor identifiers,sonic identifiers can be anything perceivable by livestock 18. However,it is desirable that the identifying noise be easily distinguishablefrom naturally occurring sounds. In one embodiment of this invention, aflexible pole 46 is attached to the container 28 by supports 48 and 50.A bell 52 is attached to the flexible pole 46 opposite the supports 48and 50. Livestock 18 hit the pole 46 while feeding on the supplement 26and cause the bell 52 to ring. This sound alerts other livestock to thesupplement's location and to the presence of other animals. These twofactors combine to draw the other livestock 18 to the underutilized area22. Other embodiments of this invention replace the bell 52 with awind-chime. The wind-chime alerts livestock to the supplement's locationwhenever the wind blows.

It will be easier to establish the initial connection between thelivestock 18 and the supplement 26 if the identifier is naturallyattractive to the animals. That is, a naturally attractive container(color or configuration) or sound may appeal to the curiosity of ananimal 20 that has not previously experienced the supplement 26 and drawits presence for a taste. Similarly, a naturally attractive odor maylure the animal 20 to the supplement 26 and cause it to try the product.These initial tastes will establish the desirability of the product. Theonion odor used in one embodiment of this invention is one suchnaturally attractive identifier.

The natural instinct of livestock to congregate can also be used toenhance the effectiveness of this invention. As shown in FIG. 4, a decoy54 can be attached (preferably, removably attached) to the container 28.The decoy 54 will initially attract livestock 18 to the supplementlocation. This, in turn, will attract additional animals to theunderutilized area 22.

The previously described embodiments of the present invention have manyadvantages over the prior art, including low initial capitalrequirements, low maintenance costs, low labor costs, high portability,and high effectiveness. In particular, the animal feed supplement blocks26 used in the preferred embodiment have been shown to be more effectivein extending grazing range than salt blocks. A study was conducted bythe Montana State University to determine whether livestock grazingdistribution could be improved by strategically placing low moisture,molasses based supplement blocks 26. The research team divided a studyarea into pastures having easy, moderate, difficult, and inaccessibleterrain. The study further divided the pastures having moderate anddifficult terrain into control and supplement sites. The research teamprovided a CRYSTALYX® BGF-30 block in the supplement sites. The teamalso provided a salt block in half of the sites in both control andsupplement groups. Every seven to ten days, the research team moved thesupplement and the salt blocks to new locations.

The study compared the livestock's use of the control and supplementsites by measuring forage utilization and fecal pat abundance beforesupplementation and after removal. The researchers observed morelivestock in areas with the supplement (32±8%) than in control areas(3±2%). They also measured an increase in the number of fecal pats(3.3±7 pats/100 m² vs. 0.5±0.5 pats/100 m²) and in forage utilization(17±2% vs. −1±1%) in areas containing supplement. However, the study didnot find significant differences between the sites containing a saltblock and those that did not contain salt. These results indicate thatCRYSTALYX® BGF-30 was more effective in extending grazing range thanwere the salt blocks. For more information about this study, see Bailey& Welling, J. Anim. Sci., Vol. 76, Suppl. 1, p. 191 (1998), which ishereby incorporated by reference.

Animal feed supplement blocks 26 have other important advantages oversalt blocks. The blocks 26 used by the preferred embodiment improvedigestion by helping livestock 18 break down cellulose. This helps thelivestock better utilize the grass it eats. The blocks 26 used by thepreferred embodiment also help increase forage intake by providingprotein. This leads to higher livestock body weight and more money forthe rancher. Finally, animal feed supplement blocks can provide avariety of important vitamins and minerals not found in a salt block.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detailwith reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, variations arepossible. For example, this invention could be optimized for use withother types of domesticated animals, such as horses, sheep, deer, andelk, by switching the animal feed supplement 26 to a formula thatappeals to that particular species. Appropriate supplements, such asCRYSTALYX® STABLE-LYX® for horses and CRYSTALYX® SHEEP-LYX for sheep,are well known in the art. The animal feed supplement described in thisinvention could also include compounds designed to increase livestockperformance, such as ingestable hormones, antibacterial drugs, orstimulants. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claimsshould not be limited to the description of the preferred versionscontained herein.

I claim:
 1. An animal feed supplement used to improve grazingdistribution, the feed supplement comprising: a highly palatablefortified molasses block formed into a consumption limited mass; and anidentifier associated with the highly palatable fortified molasses blockthat is recognizable by livestock; wherein the animal feed supplementattracts livestock to at least one underutilized rangeland area.
 2. Theanimal feed supplement of claim 1 wherein the identifier is selectedfrom the group including an odor, a color, a sound, a shape designed toresemble an animal, a shape of the highly palatable fortified molassesblock, and a shape of a container for the highly palatable fortifiedmolasses block.
 3. The animal feed supplement of claim 1 wherein thehighly palatable fortified molasses block further includes proteins,fat, vitamins, and minerals.
 4. The animal feed supplement of claim 1wherein the highly palatable fortified molasses block is formed into alow moisture block.
 5. The animal feed supplement of claim 1 wherein thehighly palatable fortified molasses block is in a container that isessentially immovable by livestock.
 6. The animal feed supplement ofclaim 5 wherein the container is a half-barrel having a colorcontrasting with its rangeland environment.
 7. An animal feed supplementused to improve grazing distribution, the feed supplement comprising: ahighly palatable chemical block formed into a consumption limited mass;and an identifier associated with the highly palatable chemical blockthat is recognizable by livestock; wherein the animal feed supplementattracts livestock to at least one underutilized rangeland area.
 8. Theanimal feed supplement of claim 7 wherein the identifier is selectedfrom the group including an odor, a color, a sound, a shape designed toresemble an animal, a shape of the highly palatable chemical block, anda shape of a container for the highly palatable chemical block.
 9. Theanimal feed supplement of claim 7 wherein the highly palatable chemicalblock further includes proteins, fat, vitamins, and minerals.
 10. Theanimal feed supplement of claim 7 wherein the highly palatable chemicalblock is formed into a low moisture block.
 11. The animal feedsupplement of claim 7 wherein the highly palatable chemical block is ina container that is essentially immovable by livestock.
 12. The animalfeed supplement of claim 11 wherein the container is a half-barrelhaving a color contrasting with its rangeland environment.
 13. An animalfeed supplement used to improve grazing distribution, the feedsupplement comprising: a highly palatable pressed block formed into aconsumption limited mass; and an identifier associated with the highlypalatable pressed block that is recognizable by livestock; wherein theanimal feed supplement attracts livestock to at least one underutilizedrangeland area.
 14. The animal feed supplement of claim 13 wherein theidentifier is selected from the group including an odor, a color, asound, a shape designed to resemble an animal, a shape of the highlypalatable pressed block, and a shape of a container for the highlypalatable pressed block.
 15. The animal feed supplement of claim 13wherein the highly palatable pressed block further includes proteins,fat, vitamins, and minerals.
 16. The animal feed supplement of claim 13wherein the highly palatable pressed block is formed into a low moistureblock.
 17. The animal feed supplement of claim 13 wherein the highlypalatable pressed block is in a container that is essentially immovableby livestock.
 18. The animal feed supplement of claim 17 wherein thecontainer is a half-barrel having a color contrasting with its rangelandenvironment.
 19. An animal feed supplement used to improve grazingdistribution, the feed supplement comprising: a highly palatable liquidformed into a consumption limited mass; and an identifier associatedwith the highly palatable pressed block that is recognizable bylivestock; wherein the animal feed supplement attracts livestock to atleast one underutilized rangeland area.
 20. The animal feed supplementof claim 19 wherein the highly palatable liquid further includesproteins, fat, vitamins, and minerals.
 21. The animal feed supplement ofclaim 19 wherein the highly palatable liquid is in a container that isessentially immovable by livestock.
 22. The animal feed supplement ofclaim 21 wherein the container is a half-barrel having a colorcontrasting with its rangeland environment.